A method for the estimation of some synthetic glucocorticosteroids in rat muscle

Derivatization-Enhanced Analysis of Glucocorticoids for Structural Characterization by Gas Chromatography-Orbitrap High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry

Glucocorticoids are classified in section S9 of the Prohibited List of the World Anti-Doping Agency, due to a potential risk to improving physical performance and causing harm to the health of athletes. Based on the similar physiological actions of glucocorticoids, both differentiating known glucocorticoids and identifying unknown glucocorticoids are important for doping control. Gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry plays an important role in structural characterization because of abundant structural diagnostic ions produced by electron ionization. It also provides a chance to study the fragmentation patterns. Thus, an enhanced derivatization procedure was optimized to produce trimethylsilylated glucocorticoids and structural diagnostic ions of nineteen trimethylsilylated glucocorticoids were obtained by gas chromatography-orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry. In our study, glucocorticoids were classified as: 3-keto-4-ene, 1,4-diene-3-keto, 3α-hydroxy with saturated A-ring, 21-hydroxy-20-keto and halo substituent glucocorticoids based on their structural difference. Structural diagnostic ions that contributed to structural characterization were specifically presented and the fragment patterns were demonstrated according to the above categories. This study not only gave new insights into the structural characterization of these glucocorticoids but also provided evidence for tracing unknown glucocorticoids or chemically modified molecules.

Derivatization procedures for gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric determination of xenobiotics in biological samples, with special attention to drugs of abuse and doping agents

The development of low cost MS detectors in recent years has promoted an important increase in the applicability of GC-MS system to analyze for the presence of foreign substances in the human body. Drugs and toxic agents are in vivo metabolized in such a way that more polar compounds are usually formed. Derivatization of these metabolites is often an unavoidable requirement for gas chromatographic analysis. Application of derivatization methods in recent years has been relevant, especially for silylation, acylation, alkylation and the formation of cyclic or diastereomeric derivatives. Given the relevance of drug of abuse testing in modern toxicology, main derivatization procedures for opiates, cocaine, cannabis, amphetamines, benzodiazepines and LSD have been reviewed. Papers describing the analyses of drugs of abuse in matrixes other than blood, such as hair or sweat, have received special attention. Advances in derivatization for sports drug testing have been particularly relevant for anabolic steroids, diuretics and corticosteroids. Among the several methodologies applied, the formation of trimethylsilyl, perfluoroacyl or methylated derivatives have proved to be both versatile and extensively used. Further advances in derivatization for GC-MS applications in clinical and forensic toxicology will depend on the one hand on the degree of further use of GC-MS for routine applications and, on the other hand, on the alternative progress made for developments in LC-MS or CE-MS. Last but not least, the appearance of comprehensive libraries in which reference spectra for different derivatives of many drugs and their metabolites are collected will have an important impact on the expansion of derivatization in GC-MS for toxicological applications.

Quantitative determination of dexamethasone in human plasma by stable isotope dilution mass spectrometry

An analytical method for the quantitation of nanogram to subnanogram amounts of dexamethasone is described. Dexamethasone was isolated from human plasma using a C18-bonded reverse-phase cartridge, purified by subsequent normal-phase HPLC, and the corresponding trimethylsilyl derivative analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The quantitation by isotope-dilution MS was carried out by selected-ion monitoring on the (M + 1)+ ion of the trimethylsilyl derivative of dexamethasone and its stable isotopically labeled diluent, [ 13C6 ,2H3]dexamethasone (681 and 690 m/z, respectively). Methane was used as the GC carrier gas and as the chemical-ionization reagent gas. The sensitivity of the method, judged from the lower limit of detection of the mass spectrometer, was at approximately 100 pg. The inter- and intraassay coefficients of variation (CV) determined at two different concentrations were 3.83 and 3.78% for 2 ng/mL and 2.64 and 1.29% for 5 ng/mL, respectively. Plasma concentration profiles for dexamethasone following a single 1-mg iv and a 2-mg oral dose of dexamethasone administered 24 h apart to two healthy volunteers are presented. The mass fragmentographic method described here is useful for bioavailability and pharmacokinetic studies of the synthetic glucocorticoid.

The use of capillary column gas chromatography and negative ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry to confirm the administration of synthetic corticosteroids to horses

The negative ion chemical ionization mass spectra of the MO-TMS derivatives of the corticosteroids prednisolone, betamethasone and dexamethasone have been obtained using capillary column gas chromatography mass spectrometry. The spectra showed abundant diagnostic ions at m/z greater than 300 allowing for clear discrimination between the three steroid derivatives. A capillary column gas chromatographic mass spectrometric method using negative ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry has been developed to confirm the presence of the parent steroids in horse urine following the administration of proprietary preparations of prednisolone and betamethasone.

The use of combined high performance liquid chromatography negative ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry to confirm the administration of synthetic corticosteroids to horses

Negative ion chemical ionization mass spectra of some corticosteroids have been obtained by direct syringe introduction on to the Finnigan moving belt high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometer interface. Proprietary preparations based upon dexamethasone, betamethasone and prednisolone were administered to horses at therapeutic dose level. Urine samples were extracted, the extracts purified by Sephadex LH-20 chromatography and the presence of the parent steroids in the eluates was confirmed by combined high-performance liquid chromatography negative ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry using ammonia as reagent gas.

GLC analysis of hydrocortisone, triamcinolone acetonide, and desonide in culture media of mouse and human dermal fibroblasts using flame-ionization detection

A quantitative GLC assay with flame-ionization detection capable of detecting nanogram quantities of hydrocortisone, triamcinolone acetonide, and desonide in biological fluids was developed. This assay consisted of two extractions of the glucocorticoids from 1 N sodium chloride-treated cell culture media into ethyl acetate and subsequent double derivatization with methoxyamine and N-trimethylsilylimidazole. The chemical structures of methoxime-trimethylsilyl derivatives were confirmed by GLC-mass spectrometry. The methoxime-trimethylsilyl derivatives were stable for 24 hr. The applicability of this assay was demonstrated by studies of the glucocorticoid levels in L-929 and human dermal fibroblasts cell culture media over prolonged incubation (0--96 hr).